Feeling that this was hardly enough to tempt Edward, the man with the crafty eyes said:
'And if in the Lord's wisdom He sees fit to take her, then, sir, you can choose a wife from among us.' (He was thinking of his daughter.) He said no more.
Edward was speaking. His voice was low, but not a man ever forgot a word he said.
'Filthy little beasts!' he said, but without acrimony, simply in weariness. 'I should like to shoot you; but you rule the world—little pot-bellied gods. There is no other God. Your last suggestion (he looked at them with a smile of so peculiar a quality and such strange eyes that the old beeman afterwards said "It took you in the stomach") was worthy of you. It's not enough that unselfish love can't save. It's not enough (his face quivered horribly) that love is allowed to torture the loved one; but you must come with your foul minds and eyes to "view the corpse." And you know nothing—nothing.'
'We know the facts,' said James.
'Facts! What are facts? I could flog you naked through the fields,
James, for your stupidity alone.'
There was a general smile, James being a corpulent man. He shrank. Then his feelings found relief in spite.
'If you don't dismiss the female, I'll appeal to the Presbytery,' he said, painfully pulling himself together.
'What for?'
'Notice for you.'